Letter to Parents

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Your child has been participating in a unit called “Advise and Consent” where students are learning about how some of the President’s decisions are subject to “checks and balances” by the United States Senate. As part of this unit, students are also learning that the government does not do everything when it comes to services needed by the public. Families, businesses and nonprofit organizations also provide some of these needed services. One of the types of nonprofit organizations they are learning about is the community foundation. The community foundation provides help to various organizations which serve the community.

Students will gain the experience of what it is like to serve on a community foundation by earning a small amount of money through a one-day fund-raising activity; conducting a survey of the community to determine its needs; researching groups that provide assistance; writing and presenting a proposal to fund a community need; and selecting a recipient for the funds raised. Their final decision will be subject to the “advise and consent” idea since the final decision will be made by a small student “board of directors” which will take the “advice” of the presenters or reject it for a valid reason.

You may be asked to participate in a survey of community concerns for one of your child’s assignments. I encourage you to give a small portion of your time to completing the survey. This unit reinforces civics, economics, reading, writing, listening, speaking and research concepts and skills over a two-week period. If you have any questions or wish further information regarding this unit, feel free to contact me. If you have knowledge of a particular nonprofit group that serves the community and may be of interest for the researchers, I would welcome such information.

Thank you for your help with this unit.

Teacher’s name